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Urinary Retention in Elderly Women: Diagnosis & Management

  • Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms & Voiding Dysfunction (H Goldman and G Badlani, Section Editors)
  • Published:
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Abstract

The management of urinary retention in the elderly female can present a challenging conundrum for primary care physicians, geriatricians, and urologists. It is often difficult to diagnose due to concomitant comorbidities and potential cognitive impairments. Evaluation should include a comprehensive history and physical examination, post-void residual, and urinalysis with consideration given to urodynamic testing in select patients. Management varies from conservative to invasive and should be tailored to the individual patient. Primary goals of care include symptom reduction, prevention of urinary tract infection, and upper tract deterioration. This presents an up-to-date review of the presentation, diagnosis, and management options available for elderly women with urinary retention.

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Conflict of Interest

Dr. Rena D. Malik, Dr. Joshua A. Cohn, and Dr. Gregory T. Bales each declare no potential conflicts of interest.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Section of Urology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA

    Rena D. Malik, Joshua A. Cohn & Gregory T. Bales

  2. The University of Chicago Medicine & Biological Sciences, 5841 S. Maryland Ave. Rm. J-653, MC6038, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA

    Rena D. Malik, Joshua A. Cohn & Gregory T. Bales

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  1. Rena D. Malik
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  2. Joshua A. Cohn
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  3. Gregory T. Bales
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Correspondence to Rena D. Malik.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms & Voiding Dysfunction

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Malik, R.D., Cohn, J.A. & Bales, G.T. Urinary Retention in Elderly Women: Diagnosis & Management. Curr Urol Rep 15, 454 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11934-014-0454-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11934-014-0454-x

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